Throttle control for internal-combustion engines



THROTTLE CONTROL FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES gwtwntov fffifflE/Tfifi 2 Sheets-She et 1 7 m m s n m N E v. m w H m I F n F June 24, 1930.

June 24, 1930. F. H. HEITGER 1,766,711

THROTTLE CONTROL FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 21, 1927' Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

FRANK H. HEITGER, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN THROTTLE CONTROL FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Application filed July 21, 1927. Serial No. 207,489.

This invention relates to means for automatically opening the throttle of a carburetor, a predetermined amount, each time an en ine is started, so that this function is per ormed on a modern automobile, even though the operator should forget to open.

weather, without some adjunct for priming- The operator usually opens or should open the throttle at this time. This is done by operating the hand throttle control which, v due to the friction of its mechanism, stays in a put position, and he then pushes or pulls on thehand or foot control member of the starter to put the latter in operation.

It is to eliminate the need of opening the throttle by hand, or an extra operation, that the present mechanism has been invented. Operators will at times forget to open the throttle in starting, especially a novice or one just learning to drive. In starting the modern motor, two things are almost absolutely essential. First, the electric current must the actuating meansofthe starter operated.

The primary object of the presentinvention is to so combine the throttle and start ing mechanism that the throttle will be automatically opened each time the starter control member is actuated, even though the operator forgets to open the-throttle, whereby the throttle is opened somewhat in spite of the o erators forgetfulness.

A furt er object of the invention is to provide means, whereby when the starter motor control member is actuated, both the hand and foot control mechanism of the throttle is also moved thereby.

A further object is to furnish a modifica- If the throttle be switched on for ignition purposes, and

tion of this structure in which the starter control member is combined only with the foot control mechanism of the throttle, so that the throttle will be automatically actu ated without moving the hand control mechanism of the throttle. t

The invention will now be described in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a carburetor, show= ing portions of its hand and. foot control mechanism, and the means for actuating the throttle from a starter operatingpedal.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view partly in horizontal section, of portions of the cone trol mechanism. V

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view, taken on line 3-3 of Fig; 1.

Fig. 4 is a side view partly broken away, of means for actuating thethrottle from the starter pedal without moving the hand con= trol mechanism of the throttle. r

Fig. 5 is a similar view of an embodiment of the invention in which the means for automatically operating the throttle is controlled from a pull-handle or the like on the dash board of the vehicle.

Fig. 6 is a side view of a modification of a detail of the invention, illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the same.

In the embodiment of the invention illustratedin Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive,-'1 designates a. carburetor of the conventional type; 2mm throttle valve of the same; and 3, the valve operating lever. The lever has an arm 4 carrying a screw 5, which-in the closed position of the throttle, abuts against a fixed stop 6. The screw is used to adjust the lowest or idle speed opening of the throttle.

A coiled spring 7 has one of its ends connected to the arm 3, and its other end connected to a shaft-8. This spring is always under tension, takes up lost motion in the various joints of the mechanism, and tends 95 to always close the throttle. I

As is customary, the throttle may be opened through the instrumentality of a rod 9 which has its forward end pivotally connected at 10 to the arm 3; the rear end of the rod being connected to the usual foot pedal (not shown).

The shaft 8 is the usual cross shaft (which on one standard type of motor vehicle, is used to transmit motion applied by a hand lever on the steering post of the car, to the ignition timer. I utilize this cross shaft as amounting for a rotatable sleeve 11, on which an arm 12 is pivotally mounted. The lower end of this arm is bifurcated and its tines 13 straddle the rod 9. One of the tines has an apertured ear 14 to receive the hooked end 15 of a rod 16, which is pivotally connected to the arm 12, and is fastened in position by a cotter pin 17 or the like. The rod16 is the usual one which extends forwardly, and is connected at the lower end of the steering post to the hand operated lever on the latter, which is employed to operate the throttle by hand.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the throttle may be opened by the foot operated rod 9, or the hand operated rod 16, and these rods are now well known for this purpose.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, I have"combined this mechanism with the pedal 18 which controls or operates the switch 18 of the electric starter 18 in so such manner that the throttle 2 and both rods 9 and 16 are actuated each time the switch control pedal of the electric starter is operated, for starting the motor.

To accomplish this result, the rotatable sleeve 11 has fixed to one of its ends a lever 19 which is moved in a clock-wise direction by the pedal 18 when the latter is moved in a counter-clock-wise direction with its shaft 20 to actuate the arm 20 that operates the switch 18.

The sleeve 11 is rotatably mounted in a bracket 21 which is secured to the engine structure 22 by screws or the like 23.

An arm 24 is fixed to the other end of the sleeve and is provided with a screw 25 which may be adjusted and then looked in position by a lock nut 26.

\Vhen the pedal 18 is depressed to actuate themotor starter, the pedal moves the arms 19 and 24, and the sleeve 11 in a clock-wise direction about the shaft 8, and in this movement the screw 25 impinges against the lever 12 and rotates the latter in a clock-wise direction. As the result,the tines 13 will move a collar 27 forwardly, and as this collar is fixed to the rod 9, the latter will also be moved forwardly, and the throttle valve 2 will be opened.

It will thus be seen that the throttle valve is automatically opened, even though the operator forgot to move the rod 16 atthe time of depressing the pedal 18.

As soon as the starter pedal is released, the spring 7 has a tendency to close the throttle, but this tendency is overcome by the friction means combined with the usual hand actuated rod 16, so the throttle will remain open until the operator adjusts the rod 16.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 4, the parts are so arranged that the throttle will close immediately after the foot pedal is released, for in this form of the invention, the starter pedal actuates the foot operated rod 9 without actuating the hand operated rod 16. In the device shown in Fig. 4, the starter pedal 18 actuates the arm 19 which is fixed on the sleeve 11. The sleeve operates an arm 24 which is fixed to the sleeve, and this arm carries the screw 25 which moves in the space between the tines 13 on the lever 12*. As the screw 25 moves in the direction of the arrow, it will strike the collar 27, and move the rod 9 forwardly without moving the lever 12. In other words, in this modification, the depression of the starter pedal will actuate the throttle valve through the foot operated rod 9, and at this time the lever 12 and rod 16 will remain stationary. Consequently, when the starter pedal is released, the spring 7 will immediately close the throttle valve.

I am aware that in certain motor vehicles, the starter is put in operation by a movement of the hand instead of by foot power. and in Fig. 5, I have disclosed a construction which may be used with the hand controlled starters. In.this form of the invention, the hand button, lever or the like, will be operatively connected to a link 19", which has its other end pivotally connected to an arm 19, which is fixed on the sleeve 11. Another arm 24" is fixed on the sleeve, and this arm carries the screw 25 which actuates the lever 12; the latter, of course, being connected to the other parts in a manner similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

In the forms of the inventions shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the arms 19 and 19 may be provided with an anti-friction roller 30, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and in such case, the starter pedal may have a flat face, as shown at 31, to function as a track on which the roller travels.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the invention may be readily understood, and while I contemplate actuating the throttle from some auxiliary source, such as the starter control member, at the starting of the motor I am aware that the idea may be embodied in structures controlled by other auxiliary means, for instance, the choke valve control rod of the motor.

It is also evident that changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a carburetor having a throttle valve, a rod operatively connected to said valve, an abutment member on the rod, a movably mounted arm member arranged to impinge against the abutment member, a starter control element, a movable projection adapted to engage one of said members for actuating the same, and means for actuating the projection from said con-' trol member.

2. A combination as claimed in claim 1, in which the projection includes an adjustable part.

3. A combination as claimed in claim 1, in

which the projection includes an adjustable with one of said arms for actuating the latter.

5. In combination, a carburetor having a control valve, a rod for actuating said valve, an abutment member on the rod, a pivotally mounted arm member, a hand actuated means connected to the arm member, a pair of pivotally mounted arms, a-projection on one arm of the pair arranged to engage and move one of said members when said pair of arms are turned, and a starter control member engageable with the other arm of said pair for actuating the last mentioned arm.

6. A combination as claimed in claim 5, in which the projection consists of an adjustable screw.

7. A combination as claimed in claim 5, including means for automatically closing said throttle valve.

8. In combination, a carbureter having a throttle valve, a rotatable shaft, an arm loosely mounted on said shaft, a rod connected to said throttle valve having a projection adapted to be engaged by said arm when moved in one direction, a pair of spaced arms fixed on said shaft, one of said arms being adapted to'engage the loosely mounted arm,

and a starter control member adapted to engage the other arm for rotating said shaft.

9. In combination, a carbureter having a throttle valve, a revoluble shaft, foot and hand controls for said throttlevalve, an arm loosely mounted on said shaft, having a con- .nection with the hand control of said throtto engage the other fixed arm for rotating said shaft.

10. In combination, a carbureter having a throttle valve, a fixed shaft, a revoluble tubular shaft mounted thereon, an arm member freely mounted on said shaft, foot and hand control rods for said throttle valve, said foot control rod being adapted to be engaged by said freely mounted arm when moved in one direction, a connection between said arm and said hand control rod, a pair of arms fixed on said tubular shaft, one of said arms being provided with an adjustable member adapted to engage the freely mounted arm and a starter control member arranged to engage the other fixed arm for retating said shaft.

11. In combination, a carbureter having a throttle valve normally held in closed position, foot and hand control rods for opening said throttle valve, a loosely mounted arm having a connection with said hand controlled rod, said arm cooperating with said foot control rod to move said rod in one direction, means for moving said arm in one direction and a starter control member for operating said means.

12. In combination with a carbureter having a throttle valve, foot and hand control rods for operating said throttle Valve, a loosely mounted arm having a positive connection with said hand control rod and a sliding connection with said foot control rod, means for moving said arm in one direction and .a starter control member for operating said means.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

FRANK H. HEITGER. 

